Addressing Barriers to

Physical Activity
 Introduction
Given the health benefits of regular physical activity, we might ask why two-
thirds of Canadians are not active at recommended levels. According to the Public
Health Agency of Canada, “Two-thirds of Canadians are inactive, a serious threat
to their health and a burden on the public health care system” (Canada’s Physical
Activity Guide to Healthy Active Living, “What Is It?”). This reality clearly
points to the need to help Canadians become more physically active. There are
barriers that keep Canadians from being, or becoming, physically active regularly.
Understanding common barriers to physical activity and creating strategies to
overcome them may help make physical activity part of daily life.
In this lesson students examine the common barriers to physical activity and
determine which barriers are holding them back from being physically
active. Students also determine ways to overcome those barriers.
 Barriers to Physical Activity

People experience a variety of personal and

environmental barriers to engaging in regular
physical activity.
A. Personal barriers: With technological advances and conveniences, people’s
lives have in many ways become increasingly easier, as well as less active. In
addition, people have many personal reasons or explanations for being inactive.
Some common explanations (barriers) that people cite for resistance to exercise
are:
• insufficient time to exercise
• inconvenience of exercise
• lack of self-motivation
• non-enjoyment of exercise
• boredom with exercise
• lack of confidence in their ability to be physically active (low self-efficacy)
• fear of being injured or having been injured recently
• lack of self-management skills, such as the ability to set personal goals, monitor progress, or
reward progress toward such goals
• lack of encouragement, support, or companionship from family and friends
• non-availability of parks, sidewalks, bicycle trails, or safe and pleasant walking paths close to
home or the workplace
The top three barriers to
engaging in physical activity
across the adult lifespan are
1.Time
2.Energy
3.motivation
Other barriers include
a. Cost
b. Facilities
c. illness or injury
d. Transportation
e. partner issues
f. Skill
g. safety considerations
h. child care
i. uneasiness with change
j. unsuitable programs
B.Environmental barriers: The environment in which we live has a great
influence on our level of physical activity. Many factors in our environment affect us.
Obvious factors include the accessibility of walking paths, cycling trails, and recreation
facilities. Factors such as traffic, availability of public transportation, crime, and pollution
may also have an effect. Other environmental factors include our social environment, such
as support from family and friends, and community spirit. It is possible to make changes in
our environment through campaigns to support active transportation, legislation for safer
communities, and the creation of new recreation facilities.
 Overcoming Barriers to Physical Activity
(suggestion)

Barriers Suggestions for Overcoming Barriers

Lack of time • Identify the available time slots or create time slots during which you are willing to give up a sedentary
activity (e.g., watching television). Monitor your daily activities for one week.
• Identify at least three 30-minute time slots you could use for physical activity.
• Add physical activity to your daily routine (e.g., walk or ride your bike to school or work or shopping,
organize school activities around physical activity, walk the dog, exercise while you watch TV, park farther
away from your destination).
• Make time for physical activity (e.g., walk, jog, or swim during your lunch hour, take fitness breaks while
you study, walk up and down stairs between classes).
• Select activities requiring minimal time, such as walking, jogging, or stair climbing.
Lack of energy • Schedule physical activity for times in the day or week when you feel energetic.
• Convince yourself that if you give it a chance, physical activity will increase your energy level; then, try it.
Lack of • Plan ahead and make the commitment. Make physical activity a regular part of your daily or weekly
motivation schedule and write it on your calendar.
• Invite a friend to exercise with you on a regular basis and write it on both your calendars.
• Join an exercise group or class.
Lack of skill • Select activities requiring no new skills, such as walking, climbing stairs, or jogging.
• Exercise with friends who are at the same skill level as you are.
• Find a friend who is willing to teach you some new skills.
• Take a class to develop new skills.

Lack of • Select activities that require minimal facilities or equipment, such as walking, jogging, jumping rope,
resources or calisthenics.
• Identify inexpensive, convenient resources available in your community (e.g., community education
programs, park and recreation programs, worksite programs).

Family • ƒExercise with your brother or sister when babysitting (e.g., go for a walk together, play tag or other
involvement running games, get an aerobic dance DVD for kids and exercise together). You can spend time
together and still get your exercise.
• ƒFind ways to be active around your home with others (e.g., shoot hoops on the driveway, play tennis
at a nearby tennis court, go for a bicycle ride with a friend, play with siblings, do household chores
such as mowing the lawn).